Ginger
by Tawnyfeather
Summary: A rabbit with a secret past and identity and a destiny that could change the world forever. A warren at the end of the world that is caught in the middle of it all, and an unstoppable enemy. Action, adventure, drama, and tragedy combine to create the epic
1. Escape

**Ginger**

**A rabbit with a secret past and identity and a destiny that could change the world forever. A warren at the end of the world that is caught in the middle of it all, and an unstoppable enemy. Action, adventure, drama, and tragedy combine to create the epic saga of Ginger. **

I hope you like this story. Here's the first chapter:

**Part One: Dreams and Hope**

**Chapter One**

Escape

Ginger angrily paced around the hutch where he was kept in. He hated it here. He was barely out of kittenhood, and a domestic rabbit to, but he felt sure his spirit wasn't meant for such a life, that he was meant to live wild and free.

He always had dreams of wild rabbits, running through countless dangers, many not making it and dieing a horrible death. Far from being scared, though, Ginger was just excited.

He was adventurous and brave, though a bit timid, he had promise. He knew that the ginger colored fur that gave him his name would only be a hazard in the wild, but his keen hearing and eyesight, sharp claws and teeth, and long, strong hind legs would make up for that.

He had a curious thatch of fur between his ears, he thought it gave him character.

The farm had cats that would come and stare into the hutch he lived in. and though he could tell from their movements and the way their eyes never left him that the cat was dangerous and meant menace, he was never afraid of them. Instead, he was curious. Whenever they came up, he went up to the cage door and stuck his nose out as far as it would go.

The cats would hiss at him. Bare their claws and show their teeth, tails lashing and glinting green eyes glaring. Soon they would go away.

Ginger was all alone in his hutch, all his family had died. Run over by a hrududu. That first night without them and in the hutch he had cried and cried wondering what to do. The terrifying episode of the lost of his family to the hrududu, and the first terror of the hutch when he was first placed in it, had confused and terrified him. He was, as rabbit's say in lapine, tharn. Or paralyzed. To him, all was zorn.

But his history had shaped his present. His resolve was stronger than ever, as was his spirit. He believed that his destiny was not to spend his life in the hutch, but to be a wild rabbit. He thought his dreams signified that. For why else would he dream of wild rabbits and the dangers they faced that so excited him?

He knew the person who kept him in his hutch was going to take him out later on in the day. She had told him as much yesterday when she went down to take him his breakfast: a pinch of straw, a slip of parsley, and a cowslip.

It was early morning, the cats had just left the front of his cage to hunt the mice that stalked the hay and straw in the barn where he was kept. He knew the girl didn't wake up until the sun was up, when that awful rooster made his dreadful crowing noises that would wake everybody up. Ginger thought of his time outside today as a time to explore his surroundings, but just then he had a truly brilliant idea. What if he escaped while he was outside?

Satisfied with his plan, but needing something to do in the time it would take the girl to get up, Ginger nestled down in his straw bedding and went to sleep. The much-needed rest was very welcome, and his dreams were as grand as ever, except at the end.

At the end of his dream Ginger saw a strange rabbit, he knew the rabbit's look because he had seen him speaking and playing to the other, wild rabbits. With him, on the left side, was the sun, and on the right side was a rainbow.

"Hello, Ginger." said the strange rabbit. "My name is El-ahrairah, these are my companions, Lord Frith, on my left, Prince Rainbow, on my right, and at my paws, my faithful captain of the Owsla, Rabscuttle."

A rabbit Ginger hadn't noticed before stood up and looked right at him. He was obviously Rabscuttle, and the more Ginger looked at him, the more certain he felt that these strange apparitions meant him no harm.

Just then Rabscuttle leaned over and whispered in his Chief's ear. Ginger couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the way they kept shooting glances at him, Ginger knew that they were talking about him.

"You have been given a great destiny. You have been chosen for a great task that we feel can be done by no other." Rabscuttle was speaking now. He and El-ahrairah had evidentially finished their conversation. "If you succeed in this wondrous deed, you be a most wise and respected hero. But if you fail, the whole of rabbitkind will twist into despair. You may not know it yet, Ginger, but when you were born, a powerful prophecy was made about you. The entire warren where you were born knew about it, but no-one knew about you except but your mother and father." Rabscuttle concluded.

"I think I remember my mother telling me something about it before she died." recalled Ginger. "She said my father was dead, but that I inherited many of his traits. My looks, for example, all except for my fur color, don't know where I got that from. She always described my father as big, handsome and brave. She also said we were fleeing her warren for a better life. She didn't say why we left, or how my father died. All she said was to go up the hill near the farm if we ever got separated. We were about to cross a road, she was showing me how to when the hrududu came. It was dark, the lights and sounds blinded and deafened her. Then the vehicle stopped. A little girl got out, walked to the side of the road, buried my mother, and then found me." Ginger was sobbing now. The pain and stress of reliving one of his most horror-filled moments was opening up new wounds, and each stun as sharply as the bullets from a farmer's gun.

"Shush now, Ginger." said Lord Frith, patting him on the back with a fiery ray of hope and happiness that immediately made Ginger feel better. "You're in safe paws now."

Then Prince Rainbow broke in. "Excuse me, Lord Frith, but we really ought to be going. It is nearly the end of dawn. Bye Ginger. Remember, we will meet you again in your dreams when the time is ripe." With that he and the others turned to go.

"But wait!" cried Ginger. "What about the prophecy! What am I supposed to do? What do you want of me?"

Rabscuttle came back to him and whispered in his ear. "Like Prince Rainbow says, we will tell you when the time is ripe. But right now we have to get Lord Frith up, or sunrise will never come. And that would be upsetting your plans for the day, now wouldn't it?" With that he hopped off, and Ginger was left all alone.

The rooster awoke Ginger, as he often did.

_What a nuisance! _thought Ginger bitterly. _What good does he do about here? Besides, he woke me from a most wondrous dream. Can't quite exactly remember what it was, but whatever it was it was pretty grand._

Just then Ginger remembered his plans for the day. He instantly became more alert and waited patiently for the girl to come down and fetch him.

Today would be one to remember.

The girl came down a little later than usual. Yawning, she opened the door to find Ginger awake and alert at the door to his hutch, as if expecting something grand.

Immediately upon seeing him, the little girl (named Lucy) brightened and remembered that today was the day she was taking him outside. Rushing inside, she opened the hutch lifted him out, and carried him (albeit wrongly) outside into the yard.

A barrage of smells hit Ginger's sensitive nose, and he immediately tried to sort through them all. There was fresh grass, normal farm smells, and something else he couldn't quite name. But there was something outside that he _could_ name. The stench was that of stale blood, the type of blood he had smelt on his mother when she had died.

The smell spooked him, and he began struggling wildly to get out of the girl's arms. All that did was made her hold on more tightly. Finally calming down, he gingerly took another whiff of the fresh morning air, and was immensely puzzled when he didn't smell the stale blood again.

Setting him down gently on the cool, sunlit grass, she lay down next to him on her back and put her arms under her head. Smelling the sweet scents of the country and grass, she let herself become sleepy in the sun's warmth and relaxed. Without meaning to, she fell asleep.

Lord Frith rose still higher into the sky and had soon climbed above the treetops to the west.

Ginger looked at the girl. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully enough, but then again, you never could tell with humans.

Slowly, as if afraid of what might happen if he did, Ginger hopped away across the yard. When he was a foot away from her and the girl still hadn't awoken, Ginger began to feel more confident in his plan. Perhaps he could escape after all.

What he hadn't counted on was the farm cats showing up while he was half-way across the yard and nearly to the ditch and the road.

Tab was furious. She was hidden behind the woodpile outside the barn where Ginger's hutch was kept, her tabby fur blended in perfectly with the dappled shadows by the woodpile, and she kept her white chest and paws hidden beneath her stomach.

She watched the rabbit run across the grass a little and do a caper, his eyes closed in pleasure. For some reason it enraged Tab to see the rabbit so happy, and her whiskers and ears twitched and her green eyes narrowed with annoyance. From the back of the woodpile, she could see her sister and sometimes partner, Elise (the calico female), waiting patiently behind some old wooden boards that the farmhands had left leaning against the wall of the house one day.

Tab smiled. The rabbit was getting closer to Elise, soon the cat's could launch their ambush. Tab was almost ready, she just had to check the wind direction. As her mother had always said, _'No use trying to catch prey if the wind direction's against you.'_

So Tab, being the dutiful, diligent daughter that she always was, tested the wind direction. Needless to say, it was in their favor. Quickly, before the wind had time to change it's mind and the direction and the rabbit time to smell them coming, Tab lifted her tail and waved it, the signal to move out.

Elise watched Tab for the tail signal. She was getting impatient with her elder sibling. There the darned rabbit was, no more than 5 feet away from her very nose-tip, and there her darned sister was behind the woodpile, seemingly larking about. Elise was glad the human girl was asleep, it wouldn't do for her to see what was coming next. Sighing, Elise checked the sun's position, than checked back with her sister. With her keen green eyes she picked out Tab's tabby tail waving at her from the dappled shadows behind the woodpile. Here it was, the signal.

Ginger capered about in the grass. He was having a lovely time. Nibbling on the cool morning grass when he felt like it, not having to worry about a human picking him up from his fun and setting him back in the hutch. Further more, he was half-way across the yard, nearly to the road and the ditch. _And to freedom, _he silently reminded himself.

Ginger did another caper and, just as he was going back to nibbling on the grass, heard the near silent sound of pawsteps behind him. Slowly turning around, fearful of what he might find there but already know, Ginger faced Elise.

He stared into her green eyes, and felt himself becoming transfixed by them. A voice, tiny and drowned out by his own fear and loudly beating heart, spoke in his mind: _"Run, Ginger. If you run the cat cannot catch you. Run. You are too important to all of rabbitkind to be lost today. And don't worry about a thing, for I will help you while my master is away, for I was assigned as your special guardian, and I will not fail in my task and make sure you don't fail in your task either. Now, RUN!"_

And suddenly, Ginger was tearing across the field, moving faster than he ever had or had ever dreamed of moving. He covered the distance to the ditch in a few mere moments, and had crossed the road in a heartbeat. Only when he was hidden safely in a tangle of brambles and nettles at the bottom of the ditch on the far side of the road did he dare to stop and take breath again.

He didn't really remember much of what had happened back there with the cat. All he could remember was his panic, than the icy calm that took hold of him when he heard the voice. It had felt weird, as if his body were being inhabited by another rabbit, and then all he knew was of his heart-stopping dash across the yard, and then this.

Completely exhausted by the days events, Ginger fell asleep. But just before he did, one happy thought went through his mind and kept him up a little while longer. He was free! And then his tired body collapsed in the ditch where he lay and he knew no more.

Well, did you like it? Don't forget to tell me in a review. Feel free to flame and/or compliment!


	2. The Dream

**Chapter Two**

The Dream

Hazel's son, Orchid, crawled into his burrow and went to sleep. He had had an exciting day, playing with his siblings and his best friend, Blackberry's son Fireweed. Young Threar had joined them to at one point, but then in the middle of a game, when he was supposed to racing Fireweed to the iron tree and back, he got all worried and said that Fiver (Orchid's uncle) wanted to see him around this time. And without further explanation he had left.

So instead Orchid had raced Fireweed. And only for both of them to be beaten when Nutmeg, Dandelion's and Thethuthinnang's son, joined in and (predictably) won. The race had left Orchid bushed, and so he had come here to sleep for a while. He only had to lay his head down on the dirt floor of the burrow to fall into a deep sleep.

In his dream, Orchid saw a long run of confusing images, one after another, each so fast that he could barely see them before the next one came along. At the end was a very clear image of a buck barely out of kittenhood. This buck had weird ginger fur and a strange thatch of fur between his ears, much like Bigwig's.

Accompanying the image was a voice that Orchid knew to be El-ahrairah's, for the voice was a mixture of every-rabbit's voice he had ever known. It said: "Come seek him, Orchid, for he belongs on Watership Down. He has no clue as to how to get there, but I expect you, a certain clever rabbit's son, to find him and bring him here."

Later, when Orchid woke up, his sister, Cranberry, was waiting outside, hesitant and flighty. "What is it, Cranberry?" asked Orchid. "I was trying to sleep before you woke me up. If it's anything like last time, count me out of it, okay?" Last time it had been a cruel joke that they and the rest of their siblings had played on Threar's younger brother, Butterbur, who also shared his father's visionary powers.

"No, no, Orchid. It's nothing like that. Don't you think I learned my lesson last time when we were lectured sternly by Hazel-rah for harming one of our younger cousins? Anyway, it's something entirely different. In fact, Hazel-rah wants to see you. Alone." The way she added the last word didn't make Orchid feel any easier as he worked his way down the run to the Chief Rabbit/his father's burrow and cast a shadow of foreboding over the meeting.

"Come in."

Hazel's strong voice called out into the passage as Orchid reached it. From the nervous sounds of moving in the burrow that echoed out into the run Orchid could tell that this meeting wasn't going to be entirely alone. Taking a deep breath and feeling calmer, Orchid came into his father's burrow.

Fiver was there. The Chief Rabbit's visionary brother (Hazel's only sibling on Watership Down since he couldn't convince his other siblings to come) was fidgeting nervously in a corner, his ears turning to listen to something the rest of them couldn't hear, his paws shaking slightly, and his eyes as wide as a kittens are it's first time outside.

With him there, Orchid's mood of calmness was short-lived. His uncle's presence made him feel uneasy and oppressed, same as with Orchid's cousins.

"Orchid," said Hazel in his steady, sturdy voice, "Fiver wants to speak to you. He says something very important is going to happen. And that it involves you." Hazel choked on the last sentence and he moved toward his brother, as if to converse with him. Instead he just gave Fiver a lick and without another word went to silflay.

"Come here, Orchid. I have a job for you. You know your marli, Hyzenthlay? I want for you to find her, she went missing quite a few months ago, but El-ahrairah just now revealed to me that you're the right rabbit to find her. She—"

"Whoa, wait up a moment there. This Hyzenthlay rabbit is _not _my marli, Gladiolus is. And another thing, why should I go looking for a rabbit that I have no relation to whatsoever? I shan't do it I tell you, I shan't!" though even as he said this, Orchid felt slightly guilty. Hadn't he, after all, been planning on searching for this weird rabbit that he also had no relation to? But he pushed that thought away hurriedly.

_After all, _he thought, _it isn't the same thing. At least I'll be searching for this other rabbit with Fireweed, and it's not my marli we're talking about. Is it? My marli is Gladiolus, not this Hyzenthlay doe. I of all rabbit's know who my marli is!_

"Goodbye." stated Orchid. And without another the brown buck sauntered out of Hazel's burrow and went to silflay with the other rabbits of the warren, thinking all the while of what Fiver was talking about.

When Orchid left the burrow, Fiver was at a loss. At first he considered calling after Orchid, but he knew that that wouldn't work. Fiver knew that if he was to get Orchid to believe that Hyzenthlay was his real marli, he would have his work cut out for him. He sighed heavily, why wouldn't Orchid listen to him?

_El-ahrairah, please help me! I can't get Orchid to believe my vision, but you told me that it was urgent that I do. _begged Fiver silently. He hadn't expected an answer, so when he got one he was rather surprised.

_Don't worry Fiver. It may be important, but Orchid is busy enough as it is. Just leave the job of convincing him to me, I think I really shouldn't have burdened him as much as I did._

_Oh, thank you El-ahrairah, thank you! _replied Fiver silently. He knew El-ahrairah would hear him and help him whatever and wherever. With that he joined Hazel and Vilthuril at silflay.

El-ahrairah placed a paw to his forehead and gave a sigh of relief. From his burrow high up in the sky he watched Fiver feeding with Hazel and Vilthuril from a crystal ball that he could use to look down upon his rabbits and others. He had almost been discovered.

Next to him sat his dark brother, the Black Rabbit of Inle' and three members of his shadowy Owsla. They were immensely interested in what El-ahrairah was seeing, though none but Inle' and El-ahrairah could see. Inle' looked disapprovingly at El-ahrairah. This look was accepted.


	3. The Guide

**Chapter Three**

The Guide

Ginger awoke when Lord Frith was highest up in the sky. He felt better from his nap, but still tired. However he knew he had to get further away so that the Nuthanger cats (if they should come looking for him), would find him gone. With these thoughts strongly in mind, Ginger heaved his tired body up and out of the ditch.

Here he stayed for a while. Enjoying the peace and serenity of early mid-noon while still watching out for elil. Carefully Ginger grazed by the entrance to the ditch, ready to bolt back in if he should smell the elil coming. And though he was sure he had had one, Ginger could not remember his dream.

He had dreamed as he often did, except this time the images were more vivid and sharp, and he could sometimes see Lord Frith, Prince Rainbow, and El-ahrairah playing with and advising the wild rabbits as the played their lives. At the end of the dream, Rabscuttle's voice sounded yet again, this time without any of the others: "Ginger, why do you wait? Have you forgotten about me already? You will have to hurry to get at us." And then it had just ended.

A westerly breeze was blowing toward him, and far off a yellowhammer sang, his voice whisked away before any could hear it. A rustling in the bushes behind him sent Ginger scurrying back into the ditch, but it was just a young rat foraging about for something good to eat.

The creature paid him no attention whatsoever and gradually Ginger came back out again. Side by side, the two creatures foraged and ate, until finally the rat asked him, "You go to the warren on the top of the hill?"

"Huh?" said Ginger, and then he realized what the rat had asked him. "Um, there a warren on the top of the hill? I didn't know that. But I suppose I'll go there." With that he left the rat at the side of the ditch.

And so off he went, to the warren at the top off the down. First he went down the road until came to the point where the road swerved away from the beginnings of the downs. Pausing, he took his breath and gazed admirably at the slope that led to the top of the down. And there to the warren that he sought.

While he caught his breath, Ginger gazed at the sky. It was a rainbow of colors during the sunset, really something to lift your spirits.

Staring at the sky, Ginger gazed his way along the foot of the hill until he reached a likely place to stop and put in for the night (Ginger had never really traveled as far as he had today since he was a kitten). He settled into the hollow quite well and sat there for a while chewing pellets until he fell asleep, murmuring his thanks to El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle.

As Ginger slept, he really was thankful to El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle. But he was also excited. Tomorrow he would reach the warren!


	4. Telling

**A/N: Here's another chapter. Read bottom author note.**

**Chapter Four**

Telling

_(meanwhile)_

When he had exited Hazel's burrow, Orchid had joined a group of his friends at silflay near the beech-hanger. Nutmeg had begun telling them of their race and, true to his parentage, had exaggerated on it.

Since they had been a part of the race and had no need to hear of it again, Orchid came up to Fireweed and whispered in his ear, "Hey, Fireweed, may I have a word with you at the foot of the hill?"

Nodding slightly, the two friends tore themselves unobtrusively away from the group and, still grazing, worked their way down the hill.

When they reached a sort of pit that would cover them from watchful eyes, Orchid stopped and went in. Fireweed followed him and the two fell into silence for a while. Until Fireweed asked, "So, what did you want with me Orchid? I was enjoying that story of Nutmeg's. He inherited all the traits of his father, except his for his fur color, it is exactly like his marli's. Well, hurry up, I don't have all day."

"Well, uh… I sort of had a dream sent from El-ahrairah. It…it involved me and, and you. We are meant to find this, this rabbit. And, um, he sounded like it was really important so, so I thought maybe I ought to tell you now so you know. I think we should leave to find him early tomorrow, what do you think?"

"I suppose it's a good idea. But I don't know… I mean, a lot can happen. We could get killed, anything! Aren't you worried?'

"Of _course_ I'm worried Fireweed! That's what makes this seem more like an adventure! I mean, don't you want to be great adventurers like are fathers were? Don't you ever long for adventure?" Orchid's face was lit up, his eyes were shining brightly, and his voice was wistful with awe as he recounted all the tales he had heard from his mother about the feats of his father and his friends.

"Well, alright. I guess. But if something happens, I'm holding you accountable."

"Fireweed! We're on a mission from El-ahrairah himself! How bad can it get?" exclaimed Orchid, and he looked at Fireweed with playful reproachful-ness.

The sun was setting, turning the downs red. Orchid and Fireweed ended their discussion on the grounds that they would go together early tomorrow morning, before anyone was up.

As they meandered up the hillside, they moved from one subject to another, as was the rabbit way. Half-way up, they came upon the field mouse whom Hazel had saved from the kestrel about half a year back. It was reconnoitering around the bottom of the hill. It didn't spot them, and neither of the two bucks went to any great trouble to make it so.

It wasn't that they didn't like the mouse or anything, it was just that, like many of the rabbits, they couldn't really stand the simple hedgerow talk that mice used. And so they passed each other in silence.

By the time they reached the top of the hill, the sun was setting. They were the last rabbits underground apart from Scabious and Threar, who were great friends.

**A/N: Okay, some reviews or no more story.**


	5. Watership Down

**A/N: Okay, here's another chapter. This one is going to be put up in parts. And I'd like to thank Sunflower for reviewing. Thanks Sunflower! Without further ado... the story:**

**Chapter Five**

Watership Down

Part 1: Family

Ginger woke up with the sun. He felt an euphoria of happiness enveloping him, but he could not immediately remember why. It was not until he saw the hill in all the glory of the sun that he remembered the warren. His sense of euphoria increased until he believed it shone around his figure as bright as the sun.

Before he set up, he took the time to graze and chew pellets near the hollow he had found last night.

As he went up the hill, Ginger didn't bother about elil, he was much to busy worrying about not reaching the warren within the morning. He even crossed over the scent trail of a stoat without even bothering to notice.

By midday he was half-way up the hill. Usually he would be asleep by now, but since he couldn't find anywhere to sleep, and was to excited to anyway, he contented himself by passing hraka and feeding.

At the top of the hill, the sun was just rising as Orchid got out of the hole, followed by Fireweed's head. Whilst Orchid came straight out and moved a little way down the hill as if to show his impatience before coming back to his friend, Fireweed showed a certain reluctance and caution to come out, checking thoroughly for elil or any sign of danger on the sprightly morning breeze.

"Ugh! Just come _on_ Fireweed! We're wasting time waiting on you to sniff over every available breeze. Just hurry up, will you?" cried Orchid in exasperation.

Tentatively, Fireweed came out and hopped over to Orchid. Like his father Fireweed was smart but above all cautious.

Slowly they hopped off down the hill, each taking turns, one after the other. They continued in this fashion for the better part of the day, only pausing to feed near midday. It was just as Orchid was tucking into some of the grass, when he caught the scent of a strange rabbit on the breeze. Nudging Fireweed, both of them edged closer to get a better look. It was just as they neared their quarry, Orchid smelt the unmistakable scent of man, looking at Fireweed, he saw his friend nod at him. The two bucks came closer to the strange rabbit with an intent to kill him…

Ginger looked up from his feeding. Something, a noise, had disturbed him. He stood up on his haunches and sniffed, his ears pricked and alert for any sign of danger.

A breeze from behind ruffled his fur cap, but a sudden change in wind direction brought a new scent crashing down upon his nostrils. He immediately became more alert and recognized the scent of two buck rabbits sneaking upon him from the previous upwind side of the hill. Glancing up, he saw them. Strangers, but hostile looking all the same. Sitting on his haunches, he prepared to meet them…

Orchid and Fireweed saw the strange man-smelling rabbit sit up and glance fervently at them. They also saw him as he prepared to meet them, but none of these images really registered correctly in their brains, for instinct had taken over.

Before they even knew what they were doing, the two rabbits had succumbed to their savage instinct and were racing down the hill to kill the stranger. For this was the wild, unwritten law of instinct among wild animals, an instinct that had helped them to survive for generations.

Fireweed, much to Orchid's surprise, dealt the first blow against the stranger and almost succeeded in knocking him down. Of course, if there was one thing they were not counting on it was the stranger's size, strength, and readiness to fight.

The stranger quickly regained his paws and neatly tripped the headlong-running Fireweed and side-stepped a blow of Orchid's that sent the unfortunate fellow (Orchid that is) hurtling down the hillside in a tangle of legs and ears.

By this time the two Watership rabbits' instinct had cooled off and they had had time to asses their adversary. He was handsome, quite large for his age (around just out of kittenhood), had a weird fur color, and a fur cap just like Bigwig's.

Ginger too took this time to asses his two attackers. The one he had sent hurtling down the hill seemed the most aggressively active of the two, but the other one still posed some threat. Both were strong, and if he didn't watch out they may just overpower him. _A rabbit from the wild is no joke, _thought Ginger bitterly as he saw how much wild life affected the strength of these rabbit's before him.

The battle began again suddenly and in earnest. Orchid took a took a tight hold on Ginger's neck and wouldn't let go. So Ginger, at the loss of some of the skin at his throat, finally pushed him off with five rapid kicks of his powerful hindlegs onto Orchid's soft, vulnerable belly, claws unsheathed.

No sooner was Orchid off his than Ginger had to deal with Fireweed. The normally tentative rabbit tried to keep clear and use his claws, but to no avail. Ginger, who moved like a whirlwind when spurred on, had taken a large clump out of Fireweed's belly fur and severed the tip of one black-tipped ear and pinned both rabbits down beneath him before either had the chance to strike a blow against him.

"Now," said Ginger, "that we're all comfy, I'd really like to know why you two scoundrels attacked me. For certainly I have no idea why?" he probed.

From either Orchid or Fireweed's point of view, it was anything but comfy. Orchid was completely humiliated, and Fireweed's ear was bleeding severely. But as it was, neither was paying Ginger much attention, for Orchid had just realized who he was.

"It's the same rabbit from my dream, Fireweed, I swear. _This_ is the rabbit we were meant to find, and by golly we've found him, though I don't know how we'll persuade him to come back to the warren with us. He just beat the hraka out of both of us in less than a second." Total awe was in Orchid's voice as he recounted the fight.

"Orchid," whispered Fireweed in his friend's ear, "I think we should listen to him."

Ginger had remained quiet when he realized his audience wasn't paying him any attention. As soon as Orchid and Fireweed returned there attention back to him, he asked them a question, "All right, two questions, 1. Who are you? 2. Why did you attack me?"

Fireweed, since he was the cleverer of the two, elected himself as speaker for both of them. "W-well, I'm Fireweed, and this is my friend, Orchid. As to why we were attacking you, well, you smelt of man. Wild law decrees that any creature that smells of man must be killed. We just followed our natural instincts. Anyway, can I ask what your doing here?"

"Well, since you just asked I suppose I'll answer. To tell the truth, I heard tell from a rat that there was a warren up this hill, so I thought I'd come see if I could join."

Forgetting for a moment that Fireweed was the elected speaker, Orchid stated, 'Well, that can be easily arranged!"

Confusion was written on Ginger's face as he looked at Orchid, then he asked, "How can that be so easily arranged?"

"Well," scoffed Orchid, "we're from that warren. And, as if it gets any better, I'm the son of the Chief Rabbit there."

Ginger took it all in quicker than they expected him to do, and in stead of standing there gawking at them, he turned round and appeared to be about to go straight up the hill. At the last moment he turned around and asked them,

"Well, aren't you coming along? You did say that this was your warren we're going to, though if all of them are as threatening and unwelcome as you two were I'm afraid I shan't think of them." With that the stranger turned and hopped leisurely up the hill towards the warren.

Orchid and Fireweed looked at each other. Than without another word they followed Ginger up the hill, pondering on how to explain to Hazel about the stranger's appearance. They knew nothing about him except that he was a good fighter and had intentions to join their warren. It was hardly enough to go on, but from stories he had heard from his mother his father had been in a similar position once, except he had known even less. So Orchid assumed that he would be okay, as long as he arrived with the stranger and not behind him.

"Come on!" he suddenly shouted joyfully to Fireweed, who looked surprised. Orchid ran a little way up the hill, then waited for his friend. When the other rabbit caught up, Orchid spurned himself on until he reached the stranger's side. Even though Hazel's son was panting hard, the stranger seemed not to care the distance he traveled, and hadn't let up his pace once.

Finally they reached the Watership warren. When they breasted the hill, Hazel and Fiver were grouped together with their original band, backs to them, discussing the sudden disappearance of Orchid and Fireweed, all sounded worried.

Suddenly feeling a little guilty and self-conscious of himself and the trouble he'd caused, Orchid motioned for the others to remain where they were while he went up to announce they're arrival.

"Um, father, I, uh…" Orchid muttered, unsure of his position in neutral standing.

Hazel whipped around to face his son, his face a mask of relief. Then he held back a little and asked, "Where were you, and where's Fireweed? Why did you leave? Why didn't you tell anybody?"

For a moment Orchid didn't bother to answer his father, for he felt with great reverence the love and concern with which his father felt for him. Then he regained his composure and answered his father's questions: "I was just down the hill, and Fireweed's just below the top, with another rabbit. Fireweed and I left to find this other rabbit. El-ahrairah told me to find him. I didn't tell anybody else because there was no need to. And now I suppose you all want to meet this stranger."

Orchid turned back to the rise and motioned for Fireweed and the stranger to come up and greet the others.

Though they were relieved that the two missing rabbits had returned safely, with only a few wounds, they were surprised by the stranger, and none looked more surprised than Bigwig. As the stranger hopped up over the rise and into their view, most of them started whispering about him, and Speedwell disappeared down the nearest hole to tell the rest of the rabbits underground.

While the others were stunned and rooted to the ground, Bigwig slowly approached the stranger, his cheeks puffed out and nose working furiously. The look on his face made it seem as if he were sniffing this stranger over for clarification. Suddenly he stopped and the relief and familiarity in his eyes was plain for all to see.

Coming up close to the stranger, he whispered in his ear, so only they could here, "Come with me." Without further explanation, he disappeared down the nearest run.

A slightly confused, familiar look crossed the stranger's face, but only for an instant. And then he followed Bigwig and left everyone else in a confused silence, staring silently after them.

Finally Hazel turned to face the rest of his rabbits and said, "Now, I wonder what that was all about." And then he went to find out.

Down in Bigwig's burrow, away from the staring crowds in the honeycomb, they settled down. The Owsla captain allowed the stranger some time to examine his surroundings before he spoke:

"I know you, but it was such a long time ago. Your mother said she was taking you somewhere, somewhere, I can't remember. You look just like me apart from your fur color. You look the mirror image. I remember you, but not your name. tell me, now. Tell me."

The stranger was confused, but he obliged Bigwig, if just to find out what he was talking about, "My name is Ginger. What's yours?"

"Ginger, Ginger, Ginger." muttered the gallant captain to himself, shaking his head all the while, "Don't you remember me? Don't you now the name of your own father?"

Ginger gasped and looked again at Bigwig. He was just about to comment on the other rabbit's sentence when they both heard another rabbit working his way down the run. Instinctively they both fell silent, this talk was private.

When Hazel entered Bigwig's burrow, everything was silent. Bigwig's face was blank, and the stranger was looking away, the look on his face sheepish. It didn't take genius to tell Hazel that something had passed between the two rabbits before he himself had arrived.

"Well?" asked Hazel, prompting Bigwig and the stranger.

"Well what?" asked Bigwig. "If you want to know this fellow's name, it's Ginger." With that the burly Owsla captain pushed past Hazel and went out of the run that opened up inside the wood.

Hazel turned back to Ginger. "I'm Hazel." he said. Ginger didn't answer, he just followed Bigwig up the run. Hazel was left in Bigwig's burrow to contemplate on the strange behavior of the two rabbits.

Outside Ginger caught up to Bigwig by the roots of a beech tree. Sitting down next to him, he whispered in his ear, "What's all this about then?"

"Shh!" hissed Bigwig, "Let me show you." And he led Ginger out of the wood on the other side, the side the other rabbits had never seen, but where Bigwig had come many times with Kehaar. It was a place of understanding.

Facing Hare Warren Down, the two rabbits, so alike yet so different, watched and waited. The wind whistled through the trees behind them, feeling so thick now that they were on the other side of them. It seemed a place completely cut off from the real world. Serene, tranquil, with a certain place of beauty not common in the world. If any other creature had come there, they would not feel the same about it. It would be, to them, as normal as any place could get, but for Bigwig and Ginger, this place had it's own aura of special-ness.

Ginger was fascinated. The downs seemed to go on for ever, every sound was muted, it was like being inside a bubble, but so perfect a bubble one wouldn't wish to pop it. To Ginger, it was unreal, yet beautiful, and yet he knew it was real. He could not fathom how such a lovely place could exist on this earth, either in real life or the dream realm. He thought it must be the domain of El-ahrairah himself.

But it was as he was looking out upon the millions of grass stems waving gently in the breeze, that the true change came over him. Suddenly every one of his senses was a thousand times sharper, in his mind's eye, he could see millions of thousands of miles around the world, and through his real eyes, the details were sharper. He saw pain, death, misery, despair, but surrounding it all, overwhelming in it's very presence, was a prevailing sense of joy and happiness. And suddenly Ginger knew, he understood.

Turning to Bigwig, he murmured, "Thanks." And by the smile on the Owsla captain's face, Ginger could tell he was experiencing the same wonderful feeling of understanding.

**A/N: Okay, I've had one review, let's try for 2 before the next part of this chapter!**


	6. Chapter 5 part 2: Hallucination

**Chapter Five**

Watership Down

Part 2: Hallucination

Just then, Ginger's bliss was interrupted. A voice, one he only faintly remembered as that of his mother, was calling to him from a place that seemed very distant indeed. It was calling:

"Ginger. Ginger."

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you." The voice was closer this time, like it was coming from right next to him. Turning round to where Bigwig had been, he saw that the rabbit was no longer Bigwig, but a doe much older than himself who was speaking to him.

Ginger shrank away instinctively, but a strong sense pulled him back. Slowly, unsurely, cautiously, Ginger crept forward. His nose was working overtime, trying to identify the scent of this strange rabbit. It was just as he was coming up to her that he realized, she had no scent at all!

"I'm all around you, Ginger." the voice seemed to sing. It was a sweet voice, and sounded good to his ears. "Do you know who I am?"

Ginger looked at her quizzically. How could she be all around him if she was right in front of him? Than he shook his head and answered, "No, I don't know who you are."

The other rabbit shook her head slowly, and blinked her beautiful eyes twice. Then she said, "Think back, Ginger. Think back. Back to your earliest memories. You'll recognize me then."

Ginger shook his head slowly. He didn't want to go back, not there. Not now. Not when he had finally found happiness, but the doe next to him was persistent. He felt a force that was not of his own creation probing his memory. Bringing up the roots of that horrible memory. Than the doe said, "Only you can see the light, Ginger. Don't be afraid, I'll be with you." With that she pulled the memory to the front of his mind, Ginger closed his eyes, and was instantly lost in the memory.

The memory was like a dream, a nightmare. All was dark, and although he couldn't see, he could smell a great deal of rabbits next to him, though none of them seemed to be moving. But at the same time, there was a pulse, loud in his ears, right next to him. He turned his head sharply, and banged his nose against a furry shoulder.

The voice of the doe reached his ears, "It's only me, Ginger. And welcome, to your memory."

"Where are we?" asked Ginger his curiosity finally kicking in.

"Guess." said the teasing voice of the doe in his ear. "It is _your_ memory, after all."

Just than Ginger heard a voice, faint and distant up a run. Ginger followed it.

"Come back, you fools! Dogs aren't dangerous! Come back and fight!" There was a sound of snarling, a growl, the sounds of a tight scuffle echoed down from above, and than silence. Ginger, pulled despite his own common sense, hopped up to see what it was. Although he knew that dogs were dangerous, he didn't feel afraid, in stead he felt exhilarated.

"Ginger! Where are you going?" the doe's voice reached him as he was creeping up the run. From the sound, she was still in the burrow below.

"I'm just going for a quick look." answered Ginger from up above. "I'll be back soon!" With that he pulled himself out of the hole.

Outside, the grass was stained with rivulets of blood. Barely more than a nose-length away was the body of a dead rabbit, warm, hot blood pouring out of a gaping hole in its side. This was one of many. Rabbit bodies were scattered everywhere, but it was right outside the run that the carnage was the worst.

All of the bodies were unfamiliar to him, but when he looked at them more closely, he saw that he did recognize all of the bodies. Than he looked at them again. No. He didn't recognize _all _of the rabbits, but the fact that he recognized any of them frightened him.

He cautiously hopped towards the rabbit he didn't recognize. It was enormous, the largest rabbit he had ever seen. It looked dead. Blood splattered it's ripped, torn body, it's great pale eyes were rolled into the head, and it's neck looked broken. Ginger could tell it was a buck, and that the blood on him wasn't all his.

He prodded the carcass with a careful forepaw. Nothing happened. He was just about to do it again when he noticed the slight rise and fall of the great buck's chest. At first, all Ginger could do was stare at this strange buck, then he shook himself and moved into action. If this other rabbit was going to survive, he would need his help. Using the most effort he had used in his entire life, Ginger dragged the large buck into some nearby beech woods.


End file.
